so tight. and a point. statistically means a dead heat. people are locked in. those undecideds, all four are so critical. see how it plays out. >> in november. >> a tight one for sure. president obama campaigns in norfolk, virginia. yesterday the president stepped off the trail to see firsthand the damage left behind by hurricane isaac in the south. he promised the federal government stand by and is ready to help those folks rebuild. thousand of louisiana and mississippi property owners are going to need all of the help that they can get. many have returned home for the first time to see the mess left from isaac's flood walters. some of the areas have never been flooded this badly before and that has got homeowners in new orleans suburbs frustrated. >> it would be nice if they would have, put levee protection around our area as well as the new orleans. all they did was protect new orleans didn't protect outer league areas. the water had nowhere to go.

it had to come this way. more than 100,000 homes and businesses in louisiana and mississippi and arkansas still have no power. isaac's leftovers are hitting the northeast today on the heels of severe loon of storms that battered central delaware. powerful wind whipped through kitt county damaging ten homes there. some say they saw a funnel cloud and ran for cover as the storm tore off roofs, destroyed garages and knocked out purr to thousand. thankfully there were no serious injuries. all right, a look at the forecast for the rest of the country. the rainy weather is historying 14 states from virginia up to new england. a different storm system dumps downpours in the gulf coast. severe storms around minneapolis, des moines, omaha, and kansas city. hot and dry from the rockies to texas. >> triple digits, dallas, phoenix. 80s, miami to new york. and across much of the midwest. temperatures are expected to reach the 90s again today. north east of los angeles. that's where hundreds of firefighters are battling a

fast-moving fire in the angeles national forest. more than six square miles have already burned. as abc's nick watt reports, the danger is growing. >> reporter: the angeles national forest was packed with thousand of campers and hikers enjoying the holiday weekend. >> we just saw the smoke next to us and we started packing. >> reporter: the fire began 2:15 sunday cause unknown. within hours, nearly 4,000 acres were ablaze. vacationers evacuated and hundreds of firefighters drafted in from across the west. the fire is moving very, very fast the we can see it coming down this hillside. look at the terrain. talking 80-degree inclines which makes it difficult for firefighters to get up to the flames and fight this fire. air drops are the best and in most places the only option. >> it is uphill, steep, rugged terrain, we are trig to get aircraft on this fire to slow its progress. >> reporter: the fire is moving towards populated areas. right now only 5% contained.

what happens next -- depends largely on the wind. nick watt, abc news, the angeles national forest. and, there is something, sorry about that. something new from google new aspect to street view technology that lets you actually look inside businesses. what photographers do they take pictures inside a business like this bar in tennessee. the pictures are pieced together to create a 3 d view. owners say an unbeatable way to market themselves to new customers. >> i think people who don't like the unknown. so when you can go and see and familiarize yourself. i thought that was intriguing. >> you can find the new feature when you do a google search for a business when the map pops up look for a red icon. we should point out businesses do have to give their permission obviously for them to come in there and do this. it is not an outright invasion of privacy or anything look that. >> this is probably extreme for me to even say.

how are woe goie going to get p to go anywhere if we show what it looks like, we are creating her milt hermitts. i have been there, i have no yesterday to go. it is a restaurant. they sell sandwiches. done. i'm not going. >> we've ben a lazy country since the remote control. this is just building along with what's been going on for years. >> yeah, pumping in sound and smells into our computers soon, too. >> i'm all for it. >> got to get out there and experience the world. >> right here. right here. here is the world right now on the internet. >> bad precedent. here is one i really, really hope not to repeat. when the little bundle of joy arrives, in supposed to be about two weeks. that's me. we want you to meet baby jane, the daughter of a couple in utah. >> kara started having contractions and pretty clear they were not going to make it to the hospital. luckily her father arrived just

in time. he has been a pair medic for 30 years and delivered kids in the past. with grandpa right there, baby jane arrived just fine and mom and baby are in fact already home. >> listen to this -- the mom said she was confident sunny would make it to the hospital because she thought that the people that don't make it to the hospital only happens on tv. >> yeah, right. >> ps, that won't be happening on tv tonight. >> i told you though, i am ready. >> put that away. what its that? >> what is this for? >> this is the abc operation/snack room. got you covered. we do it all here. >> oh! >> see the whole picture. >> the stories about babies being born outside of the hospital they're getting crazier and crazier the this is grandpa. did you hear grandma caught the baby falling out of the woman. as a woman who is going to have a child soon it is almost wonderful to think that that can happen. you just standing around, oh.

hello. >> i wish you a safe delivery indoors, in a medical facility. coming up the new york woman who insist she's can talk to the dead and tell you what they're saying. >> truth about organic fruits and vegetables. you pay more for them. are they really better for you. you are watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by lime away. wait a minute, come back ! um, miss ? up here! right. like 85% of us, you have hard water stains and that cleaner's not gonna cut it. truth is, you need something powerful. you need lime-a-way. it's 4 times more effective at removing limescale than the leading bathroom cleaner. because lime-a-way is specially formulated to conquer hard water stains. for lime, calcium and rust... lime-a-way is a must.

have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as $15 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

with grease and lime scale. use finish dishwasher cleaner every month to keep your machine in sparkling health. for shining results, finish dishwasher cleaner. like a squirrel stashes nuts, you may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec® liquid gels. nothing starts working faster than zyrtec® at relieving your allergy symptoms for 24 hours. zyrtec®. love the air. a great clean doesn't have to take long. i'm done. are you thinking what i'm thinking? ♪ give me just a little more time ♪ okay. all right. oh! [ female announcer ] the 2-in-1 swiffer sweeper uses electrostatic dry cloths to clean better than a broom. and its wet mopping cloths can clean better than a mop in half the time so you don't miss a thing. mom, have you seen my -- hey! hey! he did it. [ female announcer ] swiffer. better clean in half the time. or your money back.

brings light and fragrance together, to create a mesmerizing experience in your home. try the new color changing candle. something in the air wick. conventional wisdom is eating organic is bet r than us. you get that impression every time you go to the supermarket. >> organic is a lot more expensive, is it worth it? abc's sharon alfonsies discovered the truth in a new study. >> reporter: you don't need to

go to a specialty supermarket to find organic. it fills the shelves of the biggest grocery stores in the country and fills our shopping carts too. with the cost of organic often 50% higher you have to wonder is it worth it? a study says that nutritionally it may not be. stanford researchers sifted through 200 previously published studies to answer this question -- are organic pre deuce and vegetables more nutritious? the answer no. the study found that organics actually scored equally on vitamin and mineral content as conventional produce. >> just looking at the food we can't conclude organic food is consistently more new trsh us than conventional alternatives. >> reporter: an organic farmer. >> organic does not guarantee nutritional value will be any hyper. it is how you grow it. i eat the stuff. and i know because i can taste it. >> reporter: you can taste the nutrients. is organic food safer?

yes, the study found organic produce is 30% less likely to have pesticide residue on it although organic produce isn't pesticide free. all the produce, organic and conventional had levels of residue well within what is kidded safe. >> the organic consumer has a different viewpoint on what's safe. and, wants to avoid pesticides as much as possible. >> obviously people eat organic foods for all kind of reasons. if you are concerned about pesticides and hoping to save money. one way you can do it. when you are buy something that has a peel you would take off. a place you don't have to buy organic. completely protects your vegetables or produce. sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> so not more nutritious necessarily. but you do get to avoid. >> pesticides. >> pesticides. i get. what that stuff can do to your body. there is an advantage. not like -- whatever.

>> yeah. >> down on the farm, yes, indeed. >> looking good, looking good. so, you are farm organic tomatoes. i will be peeling my tomatoes from now on. you can taste the nutrients. >> in those tomatoes. >> coming up. talking to dead people. we'll we will introduce you to a communicator with the great beyond. >> uh-huh.

a new york woman says she can walk down the streets and hear messages of dead people. >> i see dead people. she is known as the long island medium, and she has her own tv show these days. >> of course she does. >> abc's linsey davis introduces

us to theresa caputo who has no trouble finding believers. >> i'm theresa caputo, i look to think of myself as a typical long island mom. >> theresa and typical don't belong in the same sentence. it's not so much her hair or even her nails that make her different. it's her unusual ability. and it's why she is the star of tlc's reality tv show "long island medium." >> excuse me. my name is theresa. i am a medium. >> reporter: simply put she speaks to dead people. >> know her soul is with you. because she says you don't feel her. >> i never feel my mom. i always say that. >> reporter: there is no turning off her gift. even sitting at her kitchen table where she conducts most of her readings our interview is repeatly interrupted. i just got the goose bumps. know that was the soul of his father that you felt val dating

presence. >> reporter: people find her so credible she has a waiting list of two years. this is an ability or talent since you were 4. >> this is an ability. i believe a beautiful gift from god. i was born this way. because there is no other explanation. is some one rose? >> reporter: she says she is constantly bombarded with spirits from the other side trying to contact her to pass along messages. she was able to channel her human instincts toward me. >> amelia, edith, ethel. >> who is ethel? >> my grandmother. i was wondering when some one was going to come forward to me. >> ethel. did you get engaged after your grandmother passed? >> yes. >> please know that is her way of acknowledging about the engagement. >> reporter: this is the way she makes a living turning skeptics into believers at home or going out for coffee. >> who is the young male that passed, who is that? your son. she is surrounded by people

eager to have an encounter with a loved one from the other side. he said mommy i wasn't afraid to die. he says i want to thank you for that. was your son sick? he goes, i don't look sick, right? i go no you don't look sick. he goes that's how my family maid me feel. i never felt that i was sick. >> reporter: after several more revelations about her son it was time to got a reality check. how right on was she, would you say? >> very. very. >> reporter: would you be skeptical about talking to a mediumen general? >> it scares me. i am not skeptical about it. >> reporter: nor are many of the millions of people who tune in to watch the woman from long island who even conducts seances on the sidewalk. >> it is them. they're okay. >> reporter: linsey davis, abc news, plainville, new york. >> i can tell you. >> a maria, a meredith, a mary. >> are you sensing a kim kardashian? >> ha-ha!

>> oh. >> see, third is. >> i am sensing a long haircut on you. solid as a rock, girl. "the mix" is next! we know a place where tossing and turning

have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as $15

at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. all right. time now for "the mix." we want to start with the very special sell braegs celebration is right" come on down! celebrates 40 year tuesday. on tuesday. the longest-running tell vegs show in history. if you can believe it. game show, should say. game show. >> wow, 40 years. >> that's right. they're going to celebrate this by bringing winners from the past, invited to the anniversary. of course, bob barker, legendary host. hosted for many, many years. drew cary has filled his shoes. and, the popularity of the show has just never dwindled no matter what is going on. and they're also having

auditions for male models. >> to replace the hotty female models. >> come on down, rob! >> yeah. yeah. never seen people get as excited on the shows. >> you have within a new oven mitt. >> yeah-yeah-yeah! >> 40 years. that's impressive. a funny story. casino gulf stream racing and casino park. apparently the centerpiece of the casino is the huge 13,000 gallon salt water tank. guess what, that bad boy cracked on sunday night. everything except the last two feet of water come flepletely f out. 100 fish, did survive, good news, nurse shark, angel fish, grouper fish, break out the dehumidifiers, everything else, closed down something in the casino, not everything. goes from flar oor to ceiling.

all of the water spelled out in the middle of the casino. the fish survived. >> all the fish survived? >> all the fish survived. the good news. some of the slot players weren't too happy. and beautiful. wonder if that thing cracks. that is a mess. that's what happened at the casino. >> the people that got wet by all of that. all right. so tallest man in america is 7'8." >> whoa. >> igor bokavinski. 29 years old from minnesota. a look at him. this man spent the past couple years without a pair of shoes that fit him correctly. because he is such a big guy he had a hard time finding a pair of shoes, finding some one that can make a custom pair of shoes. until now. a shoemaker decided he wanted to help out. allen kleinman, right there, got his own shoe company living shoes. made him his own pair of shoes. this man has a shoe size of

25 1/2 to 26. just reference, shaquille o'nehi, i'm jon secada. did you knknow that chronic hepatitis c affects approxately one million hispanicic americans? each story is different, but for at least 20 years my father never said how sick he was getting. he stayed silent, never talked over the options with his doctor. if he had, maybe i'd be siting him at home, instead of here. if you still think there's's strength in silence, think again. talk to your doctor about your options and learn more at tune in to hep c dot com.

this morning on "world news now" -- taking the stage. tonight it is the democrats' turn to make their case for four more years. >> the president's re-election strategy. the challenges as the democratic national convention begins hours from now in charlotte. it is tuesday, september 4th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good tuesday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. look who is back with us. >> it's me! >> paula is off for today her little daughter carolyn's birthday this week. they're celebrating. >> she's allowed. >> you are now days away, too, speaking of kids. >> 13.

>> 13 days and counting. >> i am a first time mom. they say you go over. it could be 13 days. 23 days. another nine months. >> you were it were one day. >> i wish it were like at the commercial break. >> if it happens at commercial, girl, i am ready. i want to know this overnight crew we are ready. >> what is this for? >> don't worry. when the time comes you will find out the we are ready. the overnight crew not messing around. any emergencies, water breaks, dr. rob is in the house. >> can i go home now in case this happens. >> it's good. good stuff, fresh from home depot. >> matches your shirt. >> it does. >> we coordinate on the overnights. >> that is not going to happen. don't worry. keep watching it's safe. >> ready. ha-ha. >> all right, now to what we are really going to do tonight not me having a child here. i promise you. we'll take you live to charlotte in a moment for extensive coverage of the democrating

convention. and explore the impact that candidates' spouses may have on voters and how they're part of the campaign strategy. >> the difficult battle for firefighters north of los angeles, as flames spread through a national forest there. the evacuations and strategy to keep the flames away from neighborhood. not good news on the fire. 5% contained at this hour. some tough days ahead for the folks. >> later on this half-hour, the palace on damage control. and prince harry's first public appearance. posing this time with cute kids. can this fix harry's image though? >> the pr has begun. >> spinning. >> first democrats c s convergin charlotte. tonight michelle obama tries to make the case for her husband's re-election. abc's karen travers is joining us from charlotte with more at what is at stake for the democrats. good morning, karen. >> reporter: hi. this arena is empty right now.

tonight a very different story. jammed with democrats who are eager to launch their convention and give rebuttal to the republicans. the stage is set, and democrats are ready to get their convention under way. first lady michelle obama arrived in charlotte, she got a feel for where she will deliver her primetime address, a speech, the democrats say is critical to their message this week. most americans spent labor day enjoying the end of summer. but the candidates were busy working. in toledo, ohio, president obama took credit for saving the auto industry. >> i stood with american workers. i stood with american manufacturing. i believeden you. i bet on you. i will make that bet any day of the week. later he detoured off the trail to louisiana. there he surveyed the damage from hurricane isaac and met with flood victims. >> nobody is a democrat, or republican, all just americans looking out for one another. >> reporter: paul ryan was in north carolina trying to steal

some of the spotlight from the democrats. >> every president since the great depression who asked americans to send them into a second term could say that-up are better off today than you were four years ago, except for jimmy carter, and for president barack obama. >> vice president biden said, not true. >> you want to know whether we are better off -- i got a little bumper sticker for you -- osama bin laden is dead and general motors is alive! >> president obama's challenge is convincing skeptical americans that he can move the country forward and that they won't be better offen four years if mitt romney is elected. rob, diana. >> karen, we know the first lady is speaking what can we expect from her? >> diana, she its the president's closer. she is not a secret weapon any more. democrats love her on the campaign trail. they love to get her more out on the campaign trail. this speech is different than ann romney's. not her introducing the

president to americans. they have done that. really what the first lady is expected to do tonight is to try to reach out to disappointed 2008 voters, the ones who really bought into the hope and change sales pitch he delivered. and they think he hasn't fulfilled the promise. a big speech for the first lady to talk about the president's values, to talk about his vision, and to really paint him as a human. she can do this better than any surrogate can. she can do this better than any politician can. she knows him best. >> of course, battle for the -- the female vote is critical. people are watching what the wives are saying. the idea, are folks better off now than four years ago, the central question to the election. can democrats approach the issue. for a lot of folks the answer is no. >> right, rob, very tricky for democrats. look at polls. most americans say things aren't better off country is on the wrong track. frustrated with the handling of the economy. that is the top issue. what democrats are going to try

to do is flip it around. not the last four yerz and what has been been done. what can be done over four years. democrats will say, mitt romney will take the country backward. the democrats' theme is forward. one of president's lines, did you got a look at the republican convention last week it may have been done in black and white, how old-fashioned, old school, backwards their ideas were. you are hearing the message today from the president and vice president. >> karen, we heard from paul ryan, competing with the president, attempting to, where is mitt romney? >> he is down in new hampshire for the next couple days, diana, campaign says he is starting debate prep with ohio senator rob portman playing president obama in their debate sessions. everybody thought he was down, media following him, up there, thought he was down. then turned up at a boat marina, and ann romney on a jet ski. like any american trying to

enjoy last days of summer not on the campaign trail. some think this may bea missed taunt to got out there and get the spotlight while democrats party in charlotte. >> of course, numbers so close, october debats are going to be critical for both side. all right, abc's karen travers live for ussen charlotte. thank you, karen. coverage of the convention continues later on this half-hour with a look at the candidates wives and their impact on voters. tonight join diane sawyer and george stephanopoulos for complete coverage from charlotte, abc news live special at 10:00 eastern time. switching gears now, wet remnants of isaac dreveni iisaa drenching the east coast today. powerful wind swept in there yesterday, damaging ten homes in the central part of the state. roofs peeled back. shingles flew off. thousand of people were left without power. there were also reports of a funnel cloud. thankfully no one was serious injured. in california now where more than 300 firefighters face a hot

dangerous day on the front lines. they're battling an out of control wildfire in the angeles national forest northeast of l.a. the fire broke out two days ago near a campground forcing evacuation of thousand of people visiting for the holiday weekend. right now water-dropping helicopters and air tankers are their best weapons. >> the line in the sand is the road. until it gets to the road we are working with aircraft. >> the fire has grown to more than 4,000 acres. about six square miles. fire officials say it is 5% contained. the new school year begin this morning in chicago. but more than 26,000 teachers and staff members in the nation's third largest school district could soon be on strike. teachers rallied yesterday on labor day, show of solidarity to their ongoing contract standoff. threatening to strike next monday. not only over pay but also over benefits and job security which would leave the city scrambling

to deal with 400,000 students. >> it is not going to be easy for any of us, teachers, faculty, staff. but you know that is what a union is. we have to fight for what is right. >> now, if there is a strike, it would be the first teachers' walkout in chicago since 25 years and the country's first big city school strike since detroit teachers went out s detroit went out. michael clarke duncan appeared in dozens of films and received a nomination in "the green mile." >> take my hand, boss. you see for yourself. >> duncan wasas 6'5", weighed 3 pound. he suffered a heart attack in july. he died yesterday in a los angeles hospital. michael clarke duncan was just 54 years old. >> young, young man. while we are talking about

hollywood. word of a rather dubious distinction, the worst box office opening ever. drum roll here, kind of. it was achieved, over the weekend by, am i saying this right "oogie loves and the big balloon adventure" it grossed over $600,000. an average of $278 per screen it appeared on. even well-known bombs like "ishtar" and "howard the duck" did better than that fleck on your screen right now. ouch. tough summer for hollywood. that did not help. >> it looks so good. >> really? >> ha-ha! >> the baby must be kicking. for you to say that. >> we'll talk about the holiday, and the day serena williams had at the u.s. open. >> serena and venus were beaten by a pair of russians. seeking a 14th grand slam doubles title.

>> earlier serena moved into the ladies' single quarterfinals with a dominating performance. her 6-0, 6-0 victory, referred to as a double bagel. sound good at this toime of the morning. a double bagel. >> indeed. not the exit they wanted. >> they dominated for so long. it is okay. >> you can't win them all. it is all right. coming up next, returning to our top story this morning. of course the democratic national convention, and the big role this year that the candidates' wives are playing. >> later on, spin control for the royal family. prince harry's important photo-op after all the embarrassing photos taken in las vegas. you are watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by hoveround power chair. like you used to?

when you fear losing your independence? who do you call? call hoveround now, to see if you qualify for america's premier power chair. hi, i'm tom kruse, inventor and founder of hoveround. now you can do more, see more, enjoy life more. here's why hoveround makes it easier than any other power chair. hoveround is more maneuverable to get you through the tightest doors and hallways. more reliable. hoveround employees build your chair, deliver your chair, and will service your chair for as long as you own your chair. and most importantly, 9 out of 10 people got their hoveround for little or no cost. call now for your free dvd and information kit. and now every hoveround comes with this tote bag and cup holder for handy access to your favorite items. you don't really have to give up living because you don't have your legs. call now for your free consultation. and right now, get this limited edition hoveround america travel mug free with your hoveround delivery. call or log onto hoveround.com right now! have given way to sleeping.

where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as $15 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

the rid-x septic subscriber program helps prevent backups by sending you monthly doses right to your door so you will never forget to maintain your system. sign up at rid-x.com.

as we have been saying for weeks, all about the women this november. >> suburban women have been a

coveted vote. this year, reproductive rights have taken center stage. >> that means the candidates' wives are more important than ever. >> reporter: they're the not-so-secret weapons of this election. they're wives, moms, and vote getters. >> i'll admit i am a little biased because i think our president is awesome. when michelle obama takes center stage she will have a huge task to fulfill to convince america the country is better off because of her man. she is one of the biggest assets to her husband's campaign. they're to pique the interest of those supporters who might be wavering. >> barack is so, the level-headedness that you see is, is real. >> reporter: and then there is ann romney. >> i love you, women! >> reporter: from the spotlight in tampa last week she went straight for that female vote. painting a primetime picture of her husband as a lovable, likable guy. not just that, she defended her

husband against those attacks on his record at bain capital. >> i can tell you mitt romney was not handed success. he built it! >> reporter: on the eve of the democratic convention in charlotte, the focus will soon be on one man, but right now it is all about the lady. >> could she help him win? >> i think strong women will help a man win, absolutely. >> reporter: down here on the convention floor. preparations are under way. the stage where michelle obama will be giving her speech. take a walk, the section, 2012 democratic national convention sign, the vip section where the first lady will be sitting with the other vips when this kicks off now in a matter of hours. cecilia vega, abc news, charlotte. >> thank you. we have seen the women's issue, working moms debate, ann romney, stay at home moms whether they work or not, contraception

debate, health care reform, akins comments about rain, and abortion. >> legitimate rain. >> exactly. women voters have become so critical. the very few undecided voters, 2/3 of those are women. the president and governor romney are fighting so hard. >> if you look back at '08 the secret weapon republicans thought they had was sarah palin. that wasn't enough. not that women are deciding the vote. a large majority deciding the vote. interesting to see if ann romney has what it takes? >> we will see. getting interesting. we'll be right back with more after this.

this year's drought dried up 2/3 of the country and created an unexpected problem. bears spending more time in residential areas. >> there is a simple reason for that now, they're hungry, now

they can't get the food they usually eat they're cuppioming ours. abc's clayton sandel has more. >> reporter: it is not just the stuff of movies anymore. vail, colorado is now in the grp of a bear epidemic. more than 50 calls about bears in the past month alone. >> there is a bear in my house. there is a bear mine house. >> in your house? >> yes. >> reporter: melissa carol has come face to face with bears in her home. >> seeing one right like that. you know, in your house, is, just, took me a long time to calm down. >> reporter: not just once this time, but five different times. these are his claw marks? >> yeah. >> reporter: this bear family was caught snooping around a neighborhood in denver. with fall coming it is about to get worse. bears are starting to bulk up for long winter hibernation. appetites are in overdrive. >> they're looking at trying to

consume 20,000 calories a day. they will spend 20 of 24 hours foraging and looking for food. >> reporter: this wave of break ins can be blamed on severe drought. without rain natural food are scarce. and the craving for calories send bears hunting for people food. everything from peanut butter to pizza. this one pried open a colorado candy store. in new mexico this uninvited guest crashed a resort hotel. >> generally the bear has to be put down once it becomes aggressive. >> reporter: to scare away problem bears, this police sergeant arms himself with a gun filled with paper spray. but on this night the bear that tore into this dumpster escapes into the dark. >> completely possible it is in the area. >> reporter: likely to come back soon, still hungry. >> few tip thousands, don't feed the bird. if you do bring the feedersen before sunset.

store your garbage in bear resesant containers. if you have trash pickup. put the trash out the morning of not the night before. and think twice before you put the fridge in your garage. >> more common sense. >> peace out, smoky. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as $15

at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. ♪ but between check-ups, it goes through a lot. ♪ tartar builds and that feeling fades. with new listerine® ultraclean™, you can keep it dentist clean. it's the only mouthwash with proven tartar control and new everfresh™ technology for a powerful dentist clean feeling up to 3x longer. ahhhhhhhh. [ male announcer ] keep your mouth dentist clean with new listerine® ultraclean™. power to your mouth™. it sparks a movement. look ! no ugly spots ! and see that shine ! you've got to try finish. because once they try finish, they can't keep it to themselves. i'm switching for good. wow ! awesome ! finish is seriously good. cannot believe how great it works. incredible shine. i won't use anything else. love, love, love finish !

so far over a million neighbors, friends, and family have switched to finish. join the finish revolution. recommended by more dishwasher brands worldwide. yeah, and i took on all the bigger, tougher ones. but now that mr. clean's got this new select-a-size magic eraser, i mean, he can take on any size job. look how easily he gets things cleaned. it's enough to make you cry. you, specifically. not me. i'm just happy we don't go near rex's mobile home as often. because it's hard to clean or because you're scared of an itty-bitty doggy? [ dog barks ] aah! oh! [ clears throat ] yeah, that was a sneeze. i think i sprayed myself. [ male announcer ] new mr. clean select-a-size magic eraser. lets you pick the right size for every job.

♪ ♪ ♪ that's what i said >> in the first appearance on his image rehab tour, prince harry spent the evening at a charity event to help sick kids. >> the prince charming as ever spent adorable moments with kids and made some tongue in cheek remarks for the adults. here is bbc royal correspondent. >> reporter: a world away from the seediness of las vegas, prince harry is trying to transition back to a more orthodox image of what members of the royal family do and move on from what the world glimpsed of his antics during that

weekend in las vegas. harry was doing what he always does well. meeting children. youngsters who were receiving award for courage in the face of medical adversity from the charity wellchild which harry has been patron since 2007. harry presented one of the award to 5-year-old alex logan diagnosed when he was 3, and hope, born prematurely who has undergone more than 50 operations. harry said it was hard to find the right word to describe them. >> i will give it a go. >> reporter: the audience thought about that. and responded. and then it was back to the children. it is you that represent the very best of britain. your spirit triumphs through adversity and makes our everyday worries seem, very, very insignificant. it was as harry said, the sort

of evening which makes you think about what your priorities should be. harry will be 2 in less than two weeks. time his family may feel for the chapter marked youthful indiscretions finally to be closed. >> and that brings us to what is for some reason our facebook question of the day -- >> very, very deep question. take your time with this one. we want to know do you think prince harry can repair his image? log on to our wnnfans.com and let us know what you think. >> some people have the opinion that all his partying ways, only enhances his image. he is known as the party guy. maybe the bad boy in the family a little bit. so. >> what is his image? he's, he's like -- >> party guy. >> whole family, protocol, stiffness. he's look, he's the one out there kind of mixing things up. >> how is he, he is having a

good time. >> young, single dude, doing his thing. rock on, harry.

this morning on "world news now" -- the president promises help is on the way in the wake of isaac. >> he got a firsthand look at the battered hurricane zone where more than 100,000 people are still in the dark. it's tuesday, september 4th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, everyone, i'm diana perez in for paula faris. >> good morning, everybody. paula is off for the day. happy birthday to her daughter, carolyn, turning 5 years old. family time for paula. good morning, again, everybody. i'm rob nelson. some low-lying areas are still under water a week after isaac hit. the latest on the long recovery in just a second.

also this half-hour -- showtime in charlotte, the democrats gavel in, as they put the first lady michelle obama in the spotlight. then a four-day ordeal for a hiker whose short cut almost cost him his life. how he finally was found after lying injured and trapped with no one hearing his cries. later in the show, this is it, the big morning. that's right -- kelly ripa, finally gets her new permanent co-host. we'll have the latest scoop from "live" coming up in "the skinny." so i think regis left the show back in november. months ago. finally today we find out who it is. of course, there has already been a well-publicized front-runner, looking at him there. doing his best magic mike impersonation. >> after dozens and dozens of male and female co-hosts. >> she went through 59 co-hosts. since regis left. almost as many as this show. >> i never got a phone call. kind of upset. >> me either, what's up?

>> tune in for the details in just a few minutes. before we get to that, we want to got to this. the east coast is bracing for what is left of isaac sweeping in today in the form of torrential downpours and flooding. >> the storm will not go away. the stubborn system not ready to fizzle out just yet. bringing 2 inches of ran to a dozen states. from vermont to virginia and all that moisture accompanied at times by strong wind as well. today's weather will be a one-two punch for the state of delaware. the state got slammed yesterday by a fierce batch of storms, winds topping 60 miles an hour. damaged at least ten tomorrows in the county ripping apart rooftops and garages. people reported a funnel cloud. thousands lost power. abc's ginger zee looks ahead at a very stormy day. >> i remember my outfit, first day of school, being a big deal. they'll need galoshes.

flood watches in place from north carolina to new jersey. philadelphia included in there. heaviest rain, from new york city to boston. can you imagine? that is going to be a big impact. back to the beginning of isaac. wanted to show you a couple of numbers. over 20 inches for new orleans. parts of mississippi and the 10 to 17-inch range. i've got to tell you even when you are in the 10 to 17 dinnerch range, because we were there in gulfport, it came so quickly. and so steady. and 36 hours. >> unbelievable numbers there. abc's ginger zee reporting for us. more than 100,000 folks are still without power in louisiana and mississippi. and a number of communities are still under water nearly a week after isaac. president obama visited the area yesterday to pledge federal help. and abc's ryan owens has more now from the flood zone. >> reporter: plaquemines parish was the first place isaac hit the state, toppling levees and swallowing neighborhood. >> the water -- >> reporter: this shrimper was

one of thousand who police escorted into the parish. he found his boat. his only source of income, destroyed. his home, he still need a canoe to get there. >> it is stressful. and you know you got to live some place else, you know? it's hard. >> reporter: police only allowed these people home for a few hours. just enough time to gather clothes for their backs and toys for their kids. it's too dangerous to stay. even for animals. 90% of new orleans customers now have electricity. but 100,000 across louisiana don't. the heat index here topped 105 this weekend. with no air conditioning, the misery index is a lot higher than that. david st. maarten doesn't have power so he is hauling a boat full of toys out of his laplace neighborhood. his daughter emily was born premature five months ago and weighed a pound. emily is finally ready to come home from the hospital this week, but she can't until the power is back on.

>> she is well enough to come home. and almost, so hopefully this week. if we get power she can come home. >> reporter: most of the water here has actually receded. you see some of it behind me. this is deceiving the homes in the neighborhood behind me look okay on the outside. inside everything is ruined. which is one reason, insurers say the total price tag for isaac could top $2 billion. ryan owens, abc news, laplace, louisiana. >> important thing to point out in all the isaac aftermath, all the officials at the state, local, federal level said, the isaac aftermath, since katrina there is much better coordination, no one wanted to see a repeat of the disaster in new orleans, the gulf coast. the president said we were not behind the 8 ball, thinly veiled reference to the federal response seven years ago during katrina. and officials at all levels say -- and the system has gotten better how the levels of government

work together when there is a tragedy or disaster on the way as they tracked isaac days before it eventually hit. there seems to be in terms of levees, in terms of government coordination, which is a good thing for all parts of the country where there is disaster on the way. >> not to forget that there are other dangers out there for the people who are still going through this. aside from the flooding there are alligators and snakes in the water they are trudging through. definitely something to keep in mind if they're going to go back home and get their belongings. >> isaac left behind a lot of damage. and minor category one storm, look what it did. really is incredible. >> now we want to take a look at the rest of your tuesday forecast. heavy rain in the southeast from mobile to jacksonville. windy with hail and chance of tornados from the twin cities to kansas city. and a scorcher in the south, southern plains. >> dallas hits 100 degrees. 90s from colorado springs to kansas city. mostly 80s for the midwest and east coast. overseas, survivors are describing chaos and carnage in the suicide bombing that targeted a u.s. government vehicle in pakistan, two pakistanis were killed and two

americans among the 19 people wounded in monday's attack in the city. the bomber rammed his vehicle near the u.s. consulate using 240 pound of explosives. there still has been no claim of responsibility. the government of syria is backing up its brutal crackdown on the opposition with a blunt new warning. president bashar assad said there will be no dialogue before the syrian army crushes the rebels. an opposition group says august was the bloodiest since the uprising began a year and a half ago with about 5,000 people killed. >> unbelievable. in suburban chicago, jurors in the drew peterson murder case could get that case later today. they will first hear closing arguments and then instructions from the judge. the jury is being asked to decide whether peterson is guilty of murdering his third wife. the jurors have made quite an impression for most of the five-week trial. they have managed to show up to court in color coordinated outfits.

we won't find out until post verdict exactly why they have done that. >> what is that all about? first lady michelle obama takes the stage as the democratic national convention kicks off in charlotte. republican vice presidential candidate, paul ryan, was also in north carolina trying to steal a little bit of the democrats' thunder. >> every president since the great depression who asked americans to send them into a second term could say that you are better off today than you were four years ago, except, for jimmy carter, and for president barack obama. >> you want to know whether we are better off, i got a little bumper sticker for you. osama bin laden is dead and general motors is alive! >> president obama campaigns today in norfolk, virginia. mitt romney behind closed doors in vermont working on his debate prep. >> interesting, too, this whole phrase -- are you better off here? notice the language. interesting. some analysts pointed this out.

the phrase, reagan made famous, are you better off, the argument democrats will argue is america is better off. a matter of whether you are assessing the individual or assessing the country as a whole. democrats are going to play up the aggregate stats and american picture rather than are you, john, susie, better. is the country as a whole better. look for that difference in wording this week. the unofficial end of summer has now come and gone. what would the unofficial end of summer be without a mullet festival. >> not what you are thinking, not the hair style. >> these types of mullets. >> not billy ray cyrus thing. the 26th annual mullet fling, it took place yesterday in lilian, alabama. everybody got in on the act -- boys, girls, men's and women's divisions in all this. >> interesting. not only were they throwing the mullets, eating them as well. 800 servings in fact.

all proceeds went to the local children's charities. whoa! there he goes. >> some folks on the staff didn't know a mullet was a fish. we thought hair style at first. we saw it in the script. >> little more excited about that story actually. >> i wanted to see. >> mullet festival. >> a website. the mullet is a firm-textured flesh, mild, almost sweet, nut-like flavor. according to our producers here. in case you wanted to know. >> wonder if they were eating them raw? did you see any open fire pits. >> oh, that is an awful thought. man. fishy taste. uh. coming up more insight into tom cruise and how scientologists may have auditioned, yeah, auditioned potential wives. >> and a bulldozer operator completely out of control and how bystanders took action to stop a crazy scene. you are watching "world news now." oh, there he goes. there he goes. ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by nice-n-easy hair color.

>> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by nice-n-easy hair color. 2 newborns. it's no wonder i'm getting gray. but kate still looks like...kate. [ female announcer ] with nice'n easy, all they see is you -- in one step, nice'n easy with colorblend technology, is proven to give more blends of tones. for color that's perfectly true to you. [ rob ] i don't know all her secrets but i do know kate's more beautiful now, than the day i married her. [ female announcer ] with the dimensional color of nice'n easy, all they see is you. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities

while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as $15 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. until it's completely clean. lysol toilet bowl cleaner gives you maximum coverage from the rim down to the water line to kill 99.9% of germs. and removes stains better than clorox toilet bowl cleaner with bleach. so if you want to do the whole job, lysol's got you covered. lysol.

mission for health. and for an incredibly clean and fresh bowl with every flush, try the no mess automatic toilet bowl cleaner. you could spend as much as $200. olay says challenge that with an instrument that cleanses as effectively as what's sold by skin professionals for a whole lot less. olay pro x advanced cleansing system. [♪...] >> i've been training all year for the big race in chicago, but i can only afford one trip. and i just found out my best friend is getting married in l.a. there's no way i'm missing that. then i heard about hotwire and i realized i could actually afford both trips. see, when really nice hotels have unsold rooms, they use hotwire to fill them. so i got my four-star hotels for half-price! >> men: ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e ♪ hotwire.com >> announcer: save big on car rentals too, from $12.95 a day.

welcome back, everybody. what was supposed to be a short cut turned into a four-day long ordeal for a hiker in utah. daniel samuelson tried to cut to the other side of the freeway. thought he was going to end up in a pipe that would take him to the other side. instead he ended up falling into a drainage tunnel and breaking his leg. >> i went down at an incline like this just full speed and hit the bottom of that. and i, i heard the crack. and i could -- literally feel the bone protruding out of my leg. >> ooh, daniel says he could hear hikers and cyclists a few feet overhead. but couldn't get their attention.

he finally decided to crawl out of that tunnel. and he did and found a piece of wood for his leg, made a splint and crawled to a nearby highway where he was discovered by a motorist. >> lucky for him. >> yes, indeed. >> the wealthy grandson of the man who created the red bull energy drink accused of causing an accident that killed a police officer. he is suspected of hitting a bangkok officer with his ferrari. a police officer tried to cover this all up by arresting someone else. his family is among thailand's richest with a net worth of $5.5 billion. wow. you take vodka, add a bulldozer in a crowded parking lot in russia, some angry bystanders and here's what you get. check this out. weaving in and out. this guy made his way, through over two rows of cars. he crunched seven cars until some onlookers decided. they had enough.

they stormed the cab. started punching the driver. finally, dragged him out head first. they discovered he was barefoot, apparently drunk, of course, why else? there is no word on the motive for his madness. wow. relentless punching too. >> wow. if some one was that tanked up, going nuts on a bulldozer look that, didn't take a beat down to get him out. >> seven cars. >> there is me trying to get to work. late friday night. trying to get home. right on the west side highway. >> sometimes you have just got to go over cars to get to where you got to go. haven't you ever been in traffic, and if i could just go over these cars, i'd be where i needed to be. >> quickly. >> that's all he was doing. >> just thinking ahead, man. a trail blazer. >> a smart guy. he got punished. >> have another, dude. coming up next, who gets to sit in the most sought after seat in daytime tv. this isn't the most sought after seat in daytime tv. >> no. >> fresh out. guess not, uh-uh.

>> and recognition for ellen degeneres today. time to dance in "the skinny." >> announcer: abc news will continue after this from our abc stations.

♪ skinny so skinny >> all right, folks, the wait is over. finally it only took 8 months, 22 days, 59 guest co-hosts. crazy. we'll find out who will officially permanently replace regis philbin on "live with kelly" later today on "good morning america" today. tune in for that. probably not going to reveal it until. >> that cutout looks like you. >> yeah, right. yes, regis left the show in november. today we'll find out who it is. walk out on the stage. boom, finally all the speculation. of course the leading candidate -- what the rumor mill turned out. retired new york giant, michael strahan. >> that's all i had to do. >> just get half-naked. >> that could be the new look of the show there. underdog candidate. could be michael, the rumor,

last couple weeks on the street. all that mystery ends today. good luck, kelly. see you on "good morning america" later this morning. and we're sure she will tease it a little more. >> i'm excited. moving on -- ellen degeneres getting her star on the walk of fame. hollywood/vine, coveted spot. #. >> cool. >> i just want to go through some of the -- the things this woman has been nominated for and won. in her ten seasons she has won 38 daytime emmy awards, 12 people choice award, she was just recently given the teen choice award for choice comedienne, fourth consecutive year in a row, she has also won two genius award, and gladd media award for top talk show episode, there is more, 15th annual mark twain prize for humor this october. >> long way she has come from her show. what an amazing career. >> i think she deserves it. >> new orleans native to boot. congratulations to ellen.

on top of that -- we talked this story, yesterday, "vanity fair" article explosive story about tom cruise, scientology, how they were auditioning women to be his wife before he met katie holmes, literally, a process, interviews, the whole thing. now the story is corroborated by writer/director of the movie crash, paul hagis and he claims -- confirms he knows this woman, holmes, tom was finally set up with. what is it, the name here, missing it, anyway, it was -- missing the name. any way, the woman they found. he confirms that he knew this woman, knew the process she went through. she was embarrassed by her involvement. he since left the church, hagis has, she left it as well. he is confirming the story. check out "vanity fair" could be validity how the church works and deals with tom and his ladies. >> i don't like that at all. >> weird story. >> really quickly. green day, billy joe armstrong rushed to the hospital according to perezhilton.com.

the problem is there is no word on why. they have not disclosed his illness. therefore they had to cancel one of the concerts they had in italy. of course, one of the band members tweeted out that was a bet unfortunate. >> ooh. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as $15

at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. more than 50 times a day? so brighten your smile a healthy way with listerine® whitening plus restoring rinse. it's the only rinse that makes your teeth two shades whiter and two times stronger. ♪ listerine® whitening... power to your mouth. with resolve deep clean powder. the moist powder removes three times more dirt than vacuuming alone while neutralizing odors for a clean you can see, smell and really enjoy. don't just vacuum clean. resolve clean. wow, you look terrific! [ female announcer ] crest 3d white glamorous white toothpaste.

removes up to 90% of surface stains in just 5 days. crest glamorous white toothpaste. for a smile so white, you won't just be the ex-girlfriend. you'll be the one that got away.

>> you're watching "world news now." >> sleep is overrated. ♪ can you take me higher ♪ to a place where >> little creed tuesday morning. indeed. >> always go for ced. >> royal risk, for a pretty good cause. prince andrew rappelled down europe's tallest building for more than 1,000 feet above the ground. >> as the bbc's jeremy cooper reports it was to help children face their fears. >> reporter: high above,

the metropolis, virtually in the cloud, something extraordinary is happening. yes that is the queen's son. and yes, he has just stepped out of the 87th floor of europe's tallest building. you want to know what it feels like? well check out prince andrew's helmet-cam. his feet are sliding down the wet, slick, glass walls all 300 meters above the pavement. all the duke of york's own idea. all to raise money for the outward bound trust which encourages youngsters to take on new challenges and face their fears. he has been leading by example. prince andrew has been making excellent progress. for many of this would be a terrifying ordeal. the duke of york though seems to be taking the whole thing in his stride. >> how did that feel? >> back on the ground, relief. a promise fulfilled. >> this is not about me. this is about outward bound trust. this is about what we want to do

for young people, we want to change people's lives. we do it in a way that gives them a challenging environment and learning environment so they can understand leadership and team work. >> reporter: the duke was among 40 sailors to take on the challenge and they're more on target to raise a million pounds for outward bound and royal marines charity trust. two causes which have moved him to do this and all with the approval he insists of his mother and the rest of his family. jeremy cooper, bbc news, london. >> i'm happy he had his clothes on while he was doing it. >> actually braver than a lot of the other people who rappelled. a lot of them rappelled from the 82nd to the 78th floor. look at you. >> see, i don't --. >> would you do that? >> no. >> i am not adventurous at all. >> you would go from 87th to 78th. >> he went from the 87th to the 20th floor. >> brave man! >> you are all attached. >> no, no. i'm in the elevator. >> i would do it.

13 days before i have my baby. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now" -- informing